English Explanatory Dictionary

churchyard

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A patch of land adjoining a church, often used as a graveyard.

Pronunciation

/ˈt͡ʃɝt͡ʃ.jɑɹd/ /ˈt͡ʃɜːt͡ʃ.jɑːd/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-churchyard.wav

Word forms

churchyard churchyards church-yard

Etymology

From Middle English churchyard, chirch-ȝerd, chircheȝerd (also kirk-ȝerd, kirkeyard > English kirkyard), equivalent to church + yard. Compare also Middle English kurk-garth, kyrkgarth, kirrkegærd, from Old Norse kirkjugarðr (“churchyard; graveyard”). Replaced Middle English chirchetoun from Old English ċirictūn (churchtown).

Synonyms

kirkyard

Derived words

churchyard cough
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